Bellringing

   

Over the past few years you may have heard the bells at St Peter’s Church being rung more frequently than usual. We have formed a band of ringers to ring before services and for special occasions such as weddings. Our Tower Captain is Andy Austen towercaptain@hartshornechurch.org.uk  and he, together with experienced ringers such as Anthony Cotton who rings at Derby Cathedral, has been teaching a group of people, some of whom are regular members of the church and others who live locally. The bells were re-hung in 1974 and were rung before Sunday services on a regular basis until about 15 years ago but since then have only been rung occasionally at weddings or by visiting teams of ringers. Some of our new bell ringers have not rung for a while and others are complete beginners. So if some of the sounds you hear are not quite as harmonious as you would like, please bear with us – we are improving.

We meet to practise on Thursday evenings between 7.30 and 9pm. If you would like to come along to see us in action or have a go yourself, you would be very welcome. It is a hobby suitable for ages 9 to 90 and it is something that all the family can enjoy. You do not need to be strong or musical.  After the practice we usually retire to the pub for a well earned drink so it is a chance to socialise and get to know one another better.

   Andy Austen, our Tower Captain writes:

During the pandemic we rang when we could with limited numbers of bells until June when we managed to restart Bell ringing properly with 5 regular ringers on both Sundays and practice nights. We  were re-joined by Jake in August but this needed us to move to a Thursday for practices. It did mean we had 6 ringers but, due to work commitments, only 5 on a Sunday.  We reduced our ringing time, kept the tower outside door open, wore masks, sanitised our hands and tested before coming.

We have been pleased to ring for services and for weddings but have needed help from Melbourne ringers sometimes.

We are financially sound – having a small income from weddings and visitor donations. Our purchase of a grease gun and a stool to help reach the grease nipples plus muffles to enable us to ring half-muffled on Remembrance Sunday and other solemn occasions,  means we made a small loss this year. We have now transferred the funds to the church accounts where it is “ring fenced”.

We would love to recruit more ringers to help us on a Sunday with service ringing – the call to worship.

Hartshorne Society of bell Ringers outing 2013

Congratulations to Bernard, Jana, Michael, Anthony, Colin Aked and Simon Humphrey for their success in ringing a full peal on St George’s Day.

This was the 1st peal for Bernard, the most methods for Jana and the first peal for 10 years on the bells! And the 12th since they were re-installed and augmented to 6 bells in 1973 and, of course, the 1st since we were formed last year.

DERBY D A

HARTSHORNE, Derbys, S Peter Wed Apr 23 2014 2h45 (7) 5040 Minor  (4m: 1: Norwich S, 2: Cambridge S, 3-4: St Clements CB, 5-7: Plain B.) 1 Bernard D Taylor 2 Jana Pavova 3 Michael Foulds 4 Colin Aked 5 Simon Humphrey 6 Anthony P Cotton (C) First peal: 1. Most methods: 2. Rung on St George’s Day.

  Information leaflet

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